Sunday

Paleo Muffins

Not having bread-like food after a lifetime of eating it can be difficult.
We worked on this biscuit recipe from Food Renegade a little and got something we both enjoyed.

Paleo Muffins
- 1 cup almond flour/meal (overflowing)
- 4 egg whites (we use jumbo eggs)
- 1/3 cup grass-fed butter (Kerrygold) = 5 & 1/3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat egg whites with a hand mixer until they were frothy (less than a minute)
3. Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and combine with the almond meal until pieces of butter are covered in meal.
4. Add egg whites, baking powder and salt to butter/flour, then mix with hand mixer until the flour has combined with egg whites (less than a minute)
4. Butter a six-muffin tin and distribute batter equally.
5. Bake 15 minutes (until toothpick goes in and out cleanly).
6. Let cool for at least five minutes.
7. If necessary, use the edge of a butter knife to gently separate muffins from tin.

We have used these with bacon and eggs and also for orange marmalade. Delicious.

Saturday

Thursday - Ramping up the circuit

My workout partner's second day back from a rib injury, so we expanded the circuit.

Treadmill - 220 yd run @ 7.5 mph
Hand-release Pushups x 15
Machine Close-grip Pullups x 10 @ -190#
Deadlift x 5 @ 155#
Machine Crunches x 50 @ 50#

Treadmill - 220 yd run @ 7.5 mph
Hand-release Pushups x 15
Machine Close-grip Pullups x 10 @ -190#
Deadlift x 5 @ 155#
Machine Twists x 25/25 @ 30#

Treadmill - 220 yd run @ 7.5 mph
Hand-release Pushups x 15
Machine Close-grip Pullups x 10 @ -190#
Deadlift x 5 @ 155#
Plank x 60 sec

The run is getting easier. May increase the speed or distance.

The fifteen sets weren't bad. Will do more as Rich gets better.

I like working in the deadlift.
You can feel that it is a true full-body strength-building exercise.

The chronic/nagging injury to my right psoas muscle (hip girdle) bothers me during the day, but when I exercise the pain completely fades. Odd how that works.

Total weight down: 88 pounds.

Tuesday

Rib Rehab

My workout partner returned from his rib injury Monday, so we did what I thought might be an easy day.

Walking hand release burpees x 10
Swiss ball crunches x 20
Bent dumbbell rows x 20 @ 15# each

Walking hand release burpees x 10
Swiss ball crunches x 20
Bent dumbbell rows x 20 @ 15# each

Walking hand release burpees x 10
Swiss ball crunches x 20
Bent dumbbell rows x 20 @ 15# each

Walking hand release burpees x 10
Swiss ball crunches x 20
Bent dumbbell rows x 20 @ 15# each

The burpee is simply exhausting - just the way we like it.

Saturday

Basketball?

I played 3-on-3 half-court basketball for about two hours on Saturday with people who were either more fit or younger than me, or both.

I held up pretty well. I only got seriously winded once, while covering the most athletic player.

Right shoulder is a little more sore than I'd like, and I dove once & fell once on my still-sore hands, but it wasn't a real problem. Hip flexors, hamstrings, and neck are a little sore from looking up and jumping, but that's to be expected.

My knees did not hurt at all. None. Not eating grain as a way to fight inflammation works for me. Period.

Friday

"Are you okay?"

- What a blurry person asked me after I finished this one.

My legs were still sore from the burpees and the clean & press on Monday. I decided to not do any legs or full body, and see if running might work things out. I also decided to hit my chest, back, & abs from different directions each circuit, instead of single exercises today.

Treadmill - run 220 yds. @ 7.5 mph
Hand-Release Pushups x 20
Close-grip Pullups x 10 @ -180
Swiss Ball Crunch x 25

Treadmill - run 220 yds. @ 7.5 mph
Feet-up Pushups x 20
High Pulls x 10 @ 55#
Plank x 60 secs.

Treadmill - run 220 yds. @ 7.5 mph
Machine Dips x 10 @ -120#
Wide-grip Pullups @ -200#
Bench Situps x 20

Treadmill - run 220 yds. @ 7.5 mph
Cable Crossover Flies x 20 @ 40# (each stack)
Machine Rows x 20 @ 60#
Machine Twists x 25/25 @ 30#

The four 220's have gotten much easier. I felt pretty good, but everyone kept looking at me as if they were concerned for my well-being, so I think it got the job done.

Monday

Tabata Torture

20 seconds sprint/exercise and 10 seconds rest. Eight times. Sounds simple.
It hurts.

Elliptical Trainer: 20 secs @ 85+ rpm and 10 secs @ 55+ rpm x 8 sprints

Stepping Hand-Release Burpees: 5 reps and rest 10-20 secs x 8 sets
(squat to hands on the floor - step one leg back at a time into high plank - hand release pushup - step one leg up at a time into squat with hands on the floor - stand)

Dumbbell Clean and Press:
5 reps (alternating hands) @ 35# and rest 10-20 secs x 8 sets

Swiss Ball Crunches: 10 reps and rest 10 secs x 8 sets

Then almost pass out.


The elliptical we have done several times, so I got through it smoothly. But, the new 'Burpee' is an ass kicker. I'm getting much more of a full-boy effect, but it quickly takes it out of me. I love it. We have done the last two exercises in this way a couple of times, but I was so light-headed from the Burpees that I had to bear down to finish.

This is probably the most difficult workout I've done by myself. I'm ready for Rich's rib to heal. I'm getting much better at pushing myself, but there is a lot to be said for competition and shame when it comes to working out.

Sunday

I will do real pullups again

I could do six pullups in 1990 when I was in the Army. And weighed 50 pounds less than I do now. I will do a real pullup again. So - more pullups.

I have resisted deadlifts my whole life, fearing I might hurt my back. (Irrational fear based on a power clean injury in 1981)

Of course, it turns out they are the best exercise for overall strength, and I've actually been doing them my whole life, just with furniture and boxes. So - more deadlifts.

I want to run a 220 without really feeling tired. I'm getting closer. So - more 220's.

And there must always be abs & pec work.

Thursday afternoon:
Treadmill - Ran 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Deadlift x 10 @ 155#
Machine Pullups x 10 @ (-190)
Hand Release Pushups x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20

Treadmill - Ran 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Deadlift x 10 @ 155#
Machine Pullups x 10 @ (-190)
Hand Release Pushups x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20

Treadmill - Ran 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Deadlift x 10 @ 155#
Machine Pullups x 10 @ (-190)
Hand Release Pushups x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20

It was almost too easy. Almost.

Tuesday

A Burpee of Our Own

I think I spent more time trying to find a new exercise than I did exercising. When everything I liked seemed to be a variation of a burpee, I finally made my own. We get sloppy very quickly on the 'bringing our legs back up' part of the burpee - sort of just swinging our feet back up.

To get a better lower body effect, I decided to:
1) squat deliberately and place my hands on the ground
2) step back on foot at a time into high plank/pushup position
3) do the push up (next time I will make them hand release)
4) step back up one foot at a time into a squat with hands on the ground
5) stand/jump up

With only a short time to workout before traveling to watch (on tv) my alma mater win the College Football National Championship on Monday night:

Stepping Burpee x 10
Pullups x 10 (-200)
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Stepping Burpee x 10
Pullups x 10 (-200)
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Stepping Burpee x 10
Pullups x 10 (-200)
Swiss Ball Crunch x 20

Not really enough, but it made me feel better about what I ate & drank while watching the game.

Saturday

4 x 220

On Friday, I wanted to run four 220-yard sprints. My sprint ability is getting better, so I wanted to test it along with a solid workout.

Treadmill - 220 yds @ 7.5 mph (8-minute mile pace)
Burpees x 10
Plank x 70 seconds
Dumbbell Clean & Press x 5/5 @ 40#

Treadmill - 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Pushups (feet on ball) x 20
Swiss Ball Crunches x 25
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 10 @ 55#

Treadmill - 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Pushups (hand release) x 15
Situps (on bench) x 20
Cable Rows x 25 @ 50#

Treadmill - 220 yds @ 7.5 mph
Machine Dips x 5 @ -90#
Machine Twists x 25/25 @ 30#
Pullups x 5 (-120, -130, 140 x 3)

I moved as quickly and with as little rest as I dared.
By the end I was worn out, but not beaten down.

Now, I'm on a quest for more and different exercises I can do within our gym's limitations.

Monday

Survival

Today I wanted to do things that simulated survival movements, or exhausted me, to make those things harder. Run, lift something heavy, climb, fall and get up, and, as always, abs.

The first Monday morning in January and the New Years Resolution people had swamped the place. I carved out some space and got it done.

Treadmill x 220yd @ 7.5mph
Deadlift x 5 @ 135#
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Burpees x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 25

Treadmill x 220yd @ 7.5mph
Deadlift x 5 @ 135#
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Burpees x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 25

Treadmill x 220yd @ 7.5mph
Deadlift x 5 @ 135#
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -140#
Burpees x 10
Swiss Ball Crunches x 25

I gauged it just about right. I was so exhausted I wasn't able to leave the gym for quite a while.

I have stuck to eating strictly Paleo over the past few days and I've managed to quickly lose my holiday weight gain! Back down to 276, only 2 above my low point. Must use this momentum to reach the next goal - 269.